819 replies to this topic

[genoasalami]

What was needed, once again, was a goddamn hit with a runner in scoring position. They didn't get them last week against the Rays and once again tonight they didn't get one. They do not seize chances to win close games and it's a major concern.

EXACTLY. They got the job done, we didn't. Their bullpen, even with AARP member Percival is much better than ours. That was the difference last week and that was the difference tonight.

[NomarRS05]

Well, it helps them that we don't hit their thoroughly average 5th starter.

Who's that, James Shields? He's the one we haven't been facing. Are you referring to Jackson or Sonnenstine?

[jtn46]

Who's that, James Shields? He's the one we haven't been facing. Are you referring to Jackson or Sonnenstine?

Sonnanstine.

[DieHard3]

Lowell is playing with a torn Labrum in his Hip? That is malpractice both medically and managerially. This guy needs to sit down for at least a week and then just get 10 at bats over the last weekend to see if he can play in the playoffs. Youkilis plays third and platoon Casey and Bailey at first.

[MidnightC]

The Rays are simply a better overall team.

Run differentials

Rays: +79
Red Sox: +165
(For fun, Blue Jays: +92)

If Pythagoras is to be believed, your statement is false. The Rays are the very definition of lucky this year. "Lucky" doesn't mean "better."

Edited by MidnightC, 16 September 2008 - 09:36 PM.

[Smiling Joe Hesketh]

Lowell is playing with a torn Labrum in his Hip? That is malpractice both medically and managerially. This guy needs to sit down for at least a week and then just get 10 at bats over the last weekend to see if he can play in the playoffs. Youkilis plays third and platoon Casey and Bailey at first.

He can probably get by with a cortisone shot, but Lowell's a mess right now.

They were saying on the broadcast that a labrum tear in the hip isn't quite as serious as it sounds, since we're so used to hearing about them in the shoulder, but it's obvious it needs attention now.

[NomarRS05]

Lowell is playing with a torn Labrum in his Hip? That is malpractice both medically and managerially. This guy needs to sit down for at least a week and then just get 10 at bats over the last weekend to see if he can play in the playoffs. Youkilis plays third and platoon Casey and Bailey at first.

That injury isn't going to get better with rest this season. He is what he is until surgery.

[Everybody Loves Rey Quinones]

I have to think the pounding on the turf cannot be helping Lowell. I would shut him down until next week.

[genoasalami]

No Drew hurts. No Bay hurts.

We lost to them twice at Fenway and they had no Longoria, no Upton, and no Crawford.

[JohntheBaptist]

Run differentials

Rays: +79
Red Sox: +165
(For fun, Blue Jays: +92)

If Pythagoras is to be believed, your statement is FALSE. The Rays are the very definition of lucky this year. Lucky doesn't mean "better."

Sometimes it's better to be... nevermind.

I think the Sox are better, but that means fuck all right now.

Sonnanstine's thrown two great games against us. That's the frustrating part to me. Masterson's not going to be perfect- he wasn't nearly as bad as SJH is making it seem, but he needs to be able to work through a couple bad breaks. Hitting Floyd 0-2 was really bad.

[RedOctober3829]

He can probably get by with a cortisone shot, but Lowell's a mess right now.

They were saying on the broadcast that a labrum tear in the hip isn't quite as serious as it sounds, since we're so used to hearing about them in the shoulder, but it's obvious it needs attention now.

On that topic, why the fuck isn't Casey getting some playing time at 1B while Youks moves to 3B to give Lowell a rest? Tito's misuse of Casey is maddening to me. Unless he is dealing with something we don't know about there is no excuse to him not playing. You would think he would need some ABs to be of any effective use in the playoffs. Did I miss something on him?

Edited by RedOctober3829, 16 September 2008 - 09:38 PM.

[NomarRS05]

On that topic, why the fuck isn't Casey getting some playing time at 1B while Youks moves to 3B to give Lowell a rest? Tito's misuse of Casey is maddening to me. Unless he is dealing with something we don't know about there is no excuse to him not playing. You would think he would need some ABs to be of any effective use in the playoffs. Did I miss something on him?

Yeah I'd have to think he's really hurting worse than we've been led to believe. This just makes no sense otherwise.

[MidnightC]

Sonnanstine's thrown two great games against us. That's the frustrating part to me. Masterson's not going to be perfect- he wasn't nearly as bad as SJH is making it seem, but he needs to be able to work through a couple bad breaks. Hitting Floyd 0-2 was really bad.

I completely agree. It's maddening as hell to watch this offense get shutdown by Sonnanstine not once but twice in a row. He isn't *that* good. They should've scored more than two runs off of him in two games. It never should've even come to Masterson tonight, but it did. [Sigh]

Edited by MidnightC, 16 September 2008 - 09:48 PM.

[Daily Conundrum]

Run differentials

Rays: +79
Red Sox: +165
(For fun, Blue Jays: +92)

If Pythagoras is to be believed, your statement is false. The Rays are the very definition of lucky this year. "Lucky" doesn't mean "better."

Sure, buddy. You keep telling yourself that.

[PedroSpecialK]

Sure, buddy. You keep telling yourself that.

What's this supposed to mean? The Rays have half of a great bullpen, as well as a good record in one-run games v. the Sox, but this doesn't mean they've been as good as their record, at least not as much to have outperformed their pythag by that much. They've been plenty lucky this year.

[E5 Yaz]

You are what your record says you are

[Everybody Loves Rey Quinones]

What's this supposed to mean? The Rays have half of a great bullpen, as well as a good record in one-run games v. the Sox, but this doesn't mean they've been as good as their record, at least not as much to have outperformed their pythag by that much. They've been plenty lucky this year.

The Rays have a good record in 1 run games period (28-17). Meanwhile, the Sox are below .500 (18-22) in 1 run games.

[jodyreeddudley78]

Your angst about the pen this year is entirely unfounded.

Papelbon: 64 innings of 2.11 ERA
MDC: 67.7 innings of 3.59 ERA
Lopez: 57.1 innings of 2.51 ERA
Oki: 56.3 innings of 2.83 ERA
Masterson, 27.2 innings out of the pen of 1.95 ERA before tonight.

What more do you possibly want from a pen? Masterson was shit tonight but the top 5 guys in the pen have been generally very, very good.

I don't disagree with you that the bullpen has been good, but just for S&G:

Paps
overall 218/240/318
hi lev 271/293/396
MDC
ovall 211/284/336
hi lev 224/313/373
Oki
ovall 229/303/355
hi lev 283/355/435
Masterson
ovall (as a reliever) 219/292/323
hi lev (includes starter sits) 162/292/351 (FWIW, 9th Inn 350/458/650 in 6 games)
Lopez
ovall 243/320/364
hi lev 326/396/419

Those effen Rays:

Percival
ovall 182/293/432
hi lev 205/333/521
Wheeler
ovall 176/238/344
hi lev 177/240/363
Miller
ovall 253/353/356
hi lev 188/316/188
Howell
ovall 198/292/302
hi lev 124/264/146
Balfour
ovall 148/242/225
hi lev 155/246/172

I really want to find the inherited runner numbers. I have a feeling that the Sox pen doesn't do so hot there.

edit: so besides Percival, you have a Rays pen that excels in hi lev. The Sox all get worse.

Edited by jodyreeddudley78, 16 September 2008 - 10:25 PM.

[Foulkey Reese]

Twins lose.

7 game WC lead remains.

[MidnightC]

Sure, buddy. You keep telling yourself that.

Spare me your patronizing. My intention was to point out that the Rays are substantially out-performing their run differential. The numbers say they are playing over thier heads. Such a fact does not make them an inherently better team; it only makes them a luckier one. Maybe being "lucky" is better than being "good," but that's not something that can be quantified. I just wanted to show the hole in your assertion that the Rays are "better." Believe or disbelieve the value of run differentials all you want, but don't talk down to me because I pointed them out.